Time Has Come and Gone
by cherrygurl1225
Summary: The time has come and long since gone, but now he knows what he must do. Prompt fill for prologuize for the "We've Been Renewed!" ficathon on LiveJournal.


**Community: Time Has Come and Gone**

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**Prompt: **From prologuize – _I could've been your girl  
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**BEFORE**

He's a smarmy, fast-talking lawyer who knows how to cut a deal (even if it is slightly unethical). He doesn't care. He always looks for shortcuts, the easy way out. He creates deals without commitments. Makes promises he never keeps.

Then he gets thrust into unknown terrain. Community college.

_The horror. _

Before he even gets out of his car on his first day, he sets a plan of action into motion. Four years seem unbearable, so he'll do what he's always done. He'll connive, he'll con, he'll manipulate just to survive.

And then he meets Britta. He doesn't realize what is to come or how much she will change him. Sometimes it only takes one person to see past the facade and into the heart and mind of an actually decent guy.

"_You're not a jerk, you're fine."_ She'll tell him later.

But as his eyes linger on the pretty blonde on his first day, it's only the beginning of what is to come.

**DURING**

"Where are you going?" her sleepy voice asks as she sits up.

Jeff fastens the last button on his shirt and pulls at the zipper on his pants before he looks back at her.

"Go back to sleep, Britta," he whispers softly, gazing into her half-open eyes. "I have to go."

The drowsiness slowly starts to dissipate from Britta's body. "Why?"

"I just… I have to."

"It's 2 AM," she tells him, glancing quickly at the blinking digital clock next to her bed.

"Which is why you should go back to sleep."

"No. Not until you tell me what this is about."

"Nothing. It's nothing. I just… I have _things_ I have to do."

"At 2 AM?"

"Yes," he tells her quickly. "No. I mean-…"

"So that's it? This is all I am to you?" Britta's tone rises, incredulity seeping into her voice.

"Britta, you know this is nothing more than-…"

"No, Jeff. Actually I don't know. What _am_ I to you?"

"Britta, we just agreed we'd relieve a bit of tension between us. That's it. No feelings."

Britta gazes at Jeff as he stands up, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"No feelings…" Her words hang limply in the air.

"Britta… I…"

He tries to find words. The right words to console her. But he never thinks this far. He never thinks about the repercussions of his actions, how his suave demeanor and snarky personality can lead to feelings being hurt.

How he can hurt the people he cares about.

He wants to reach out to her, comfort her, tell her he's sorry.

With firm resolve, he leaves instead. The sooner this ends the better.

Plus, it's only a matter of time before Abed finds out.

**AFTER**

Two years passes after Jeff graduates from Greendale and he settles into his life as a lawyer again. This time is different, of course, but he's glad to be doing what he knows, even if deep down it is not what he truly loves.

The study group had all gone their separate ways. Shirley was enjoying her life as a stay at home mother. Pierce was living in the lap of luxury at his mansion. Troy and Abed were on an epic road trip across the country filming all of their crazy antics and uploading YouTube videos that gathered thousands of views along the way. Annie was finishing her Masters in Nursing at a private school in California. But Britta… Aside from the occasional Facebook update, Jeff knew nothing of Britta's whereabouts following graduation.

One rainy night out of the blue, she shows up soaking wet on his doorstep. Her wet tendrils of blonde hair stick to her skin and Jeff notices the hint of a purple bruise on her cheek when he invites her inside.

"I tried to contact you after graduation," he murmurs, after the shock of seeing her subsides.

"I know," she replies. "I just…. I needed some time to think. To travel."

As the night wears on, she eventually breaks down. She tells him how the first several months after graduation were wonderful. The places she traveled to, the sights she saw.

But a few months before, her life had taken a dark turn when she reconnected with some anarchist friends from her past. She'd gotten into a relationship with one of them.

Trevor. The leader of the group.

Their relationship progressed too quickly and Trevor began to have angry outbursts. Britta soon become Trevor's emotional and physical punching bag and, only recently, was she able to escape from his violent clutches.

"I… I got your address from Annie. I have nowhere else to go."

"It's okay, Britta," he whispers. "You're safe here. I promise."

"I… I need your help. Legally or… I don't even know anymore. All I know is that I need you right now."

Britta bites her lip nervously as Jeff waits for her to continue.

"I'm pregnant."

Her words stun him as if hit by a ferocious torrent of ice water.

Now is his chance to help her in the ways he failed to in the past. He regrets that he never put in more of an effort to make their relationship work. He cared – and still cares – for her deeply. He knows he screwed up, but now he wants to make things right.

The time has come and long since gone, but now he knows what he must do.

He starts by leaning forward and taking her hand in his, squeezing it gently. The silent gesture of support echoes louder than his words.

_Fin. _

**Author's Note:** I have to admit that this story didn't come out as I thought it would, but I hope those who read enjoy it anyway! Please review!


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